You have inadvertently stumbled upon another wireless communication mode which predates RF. As such it is not subject to FCC rules nor the ITU or any other such body normally associated with wireless communication. Communication by Smoke is an mode which perhaps extends thousands of years into the past. It is generally a mode free to the public and is not without its limitations. It is pretty much a daylight mode and usually line of sight as well. It can be highly portable but does require a bit of skill to set up and needs cosiderable "tweaking". Its use may also be severely restricted by local fire codes and ordinances. However if your rig can produce a dependable and constsant source of smoke you my have conquered the BPL dilemma.

I knew if we waited long enough, a Schrader Valve would show up. When adding smoke in this manner, it is important that if you use your refrigeration tools, manifold, hoses, etc, that you decontaminate them afterwards. If you were to leave any smoke products at all in your hose/manifold set, you could then start a massive failure of the next A/C system you were to service.If you think an amateur tranceiver can let out a large amount of smoke, then you ain't ever been around a failing A/C motor.

It is also important that when adding smoke back into your radio's Schrader Valve, that you not mistakenly add refrigerant instead. For instance, 6146 tubes were not intended to run with R22, they were intended to run in a vacuum. I don't have any idea what the effects of this would be, but it can't be good.

Electronics are manufactured by the factory installing smoke in the componets. If you let the smoke out (as seems to be happening in your case), they will not work as well as when the factory first installed the smoke. If you can find which componet is releasing the smoke, you should immediately replace it, as the condition seems to be contagious. One componet releasing it's smoke, can cause the other componets to get jealous of the attention its getting and they tend to join in and release their smoke also. Repairing the smoking componet is usually quite difficult and requires expensive and often unobtainable "factory smoke". Older componets sometimes use "generic smoke" and can be repaired more easily. Good luck and remember to lecture your rig on the dangers of smoking. Health statistics reflect that smoking (in humans or electrical items) is a major contributor to shortened life spans.

I believe we're witnessing the advent of "stealth" radios, much like stealth antennas.

The radio is designed to smoke thus concealing the operator from nosy neighbors, covenant enforcement groups and the like.

The idea was originally proposed by Alonzo Patterson (the inventer of the smokescreen) as a military field application. However, the pusuit of the "radio screen" was abandoned when he further tweaked his design and found it could be applied on a larger scale (boats, vehicles, etc).

Stealth radio is not widely available. However it will be feature of the 400 watt model of the new FTDX-9000

There are several ways to stop smoking. When my dad caught me as a kid, he made me smoke extensively. I got sick and learned a valuable lesson. You need to do the same to your insolent radio. Usually when they start smoking, you can force them to oversmoke by the old brick method. A brick on the key will cause the unattended radio to smoke extensively and uncontrollably. It will often simply break down and elect to quit - just as I did. Then you can open it up and look for the smokiest part (the smoke leak) and surgically remove it and replace it. It is referred to as a forced catastrophic failure. Many modern, surface mounted rigs are more difficult to force to quit smoking because it seems to be component contagious.

Someone mentioned a schrader valve. If your radio has such a valve then it obviously has let it's smoke out before. This is not good. A habitual smoker is very hard to stop. If you cannot get it to quit then you will have to replace the smoke in the unit. Be warned though you will have to purchase the new non ozone depleting smoke to replace the old. The EPA has banned all smoke that contains CFC's. They do make drop in replacements for most of the old bad smoke though.

And it is said that ham radio operators are old fuddy-duddies that don't know how to have fun, and so stuffy that they wouldn't recognize a joke if it hit them in the head.

Anyone who says this should be shown this thread--and by the way, a question: If a radio is sent to Washington and accidently filled with hot air from there instead of smoke, will it still work? Or will it only work if it is not a federal holiday and when congress is in session? Better yet, can political hot air have finally found a use? ;-)

My "Service Soon" Light keeps comming on. I am not really shure why ? My radio only smoked once and I caught it. I kicked it's little butt and that was the last time it ever thought of smoking.He is a good boy now. But what about the Service soon light ??

Here we go again. We are on a Elmer froum and the man has a problem with his radio and every one is making fun of him. This is not what the forum is for. I will try and help him. They have all told you ways to get your radio to give up smoking. It is too late. If you have found him smoking he has been smoking for a long time and you have just found him doing it. He will very soon quit smoking on is own. The big problem is when he quits he will no longer talk to you and when you talk to him he will not respond. He is sick very very sick. You will need to take him to a doctor. If he is very lucky he might just have a few organs in bad shape and he will just need a transplant to take care of them. If his smoking has gone to for you might as well brace yourself for the bad news he has died. While it would make since for us to dispose of the body most hams don't. It seems that while the human body returns to dust the radio body stays the same after he dies. It is just the internal oragans that cease to exist in their original state. We tend to put them in closets or on shelves so we can look at them forever. So take heart while his smoking killed him just think you too can have him until you die. Even though he will never talk to you again.I hope this has helped you and your problem with the smoking radio. I tried to help you not make fun of you like the rest of the guys.TerryWb4QNG

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